Friction-clutch.



P G N U R P S H FRICTION CLUTCH. APPLICATION, FILED APR. 20. 1907.

INVENTOR wrrm-zasaa:

W 1 7 1 0 E D D E T N E T .A P

FRICTION CLUTCH. APPLICATION .FVI'LBD APR, 20, m7.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR Khqcnuflk WITNESSES;

page but is sufficient to transmit motion at u thus 80 fully described, reference being lied to the ,56 such movement and corricd around with the EDMUND srn nnc, or nnrnorr, MICHIGAN.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

tic-873,911

mnemon- Patented.- Dec. 7, 1907.

Application filed April 20-1907- Serial No. 369.299

To al/Z whom it may concern: Be it known that I, EDMUND SPRUNG, a, citizen of the United Stet-es of America, res "siding at Detroit, inthe county of Wayne 5 a'nd Sta/te of Michigan, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Friction- (tlutches, of which the following is n specilication; reference being had therein to the accompa-nying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in friction clutches, end'its object is to provide ei'construction in which at the beginning of the clutch operation, there is e. variable yield- .ing frictional contact which permits oi .slip-- slow speed, end upon the full operation; there is a. positive clamping action which prevents any slippage and. transmits full power and speed, sudden shocks and strains being revented. s A urther object of the invention is to provide means for forcing the clutch nien'ibers into and out of frictional contact which means is easily ectunt'ed and is very positive in its operation, insuring against slippage when'the members are fully thrown, and to provide certain other new and useful lunti'ires in the construction, nrrnngcmcnt and combination of parts, all as hereinafter more accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a longitudinal section on the line w-:z: of Fig. 2 of a device embodying the invention; Fig. 2 a, transverse section of the a} same, substantially on the line g -y of Fig. l and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the two halves of the driven disk shown si -pornted and in perspective. 1

As shown in the drawings, 1 is the driving or engine shaft 11 on the end otwhich is sc-.

cured the fiywhee 2 of the engine and 3 is the driven shaft. In the construction shown the rim of the flywheel is faced oil' at one side to forms frictlon surface or member 4 of the clutch, but if desired a. face plate might be .secured. to the flywheel or n scpiirotc suitably lenstructed friction member might be proided, the flywhcci being used for the pur pose in this instance merely for convenience and cheapness of construction. lnclosi'ng the surface! and rigidly secured to'the tl Wheel by bolts 5, is ii casing f5, and within t 1e casin; is it friction ring 7 which is movable toward-end from the surface 4- und guided in flywheel and easing by tho holtsfi passing i through holes in. the ring near its periphery. Extending from the rear side of sand ring 7 are curs 8 to which toggie levers E) are pivot-.

nlly attached stone end, these levers consisting of links pivoted together at 10 and setustcd bye connecting link 11 pivotednt one end to the pivot 10 and at its opposite end to o sleeve 12 slidnble longitudinally upon the driven shaft. The rear ends of the toggle levcrs ere pivotiiliy secured between earson the inner ends of scrcwthresded bolts 13 en-' gaging axial scrcw-thrcmled openings in bushings 14 which are screwed into openings in the end of the casing. These bushings are eocli provided on their outer end with a. hero ugonal head by means of which they may be turned nnd on the projecting outer ends of the bolts 13 are loclenuts l 5 to hold the bolts in any )osition to whiohthcy may be adjusted. 'llicse bolts may thus be readily adjustcd in or out to vary the distance which the toggle lovers wili move the rinp 7. sleeve 12 projects outwm'd through the cos ing and is provided with n. groove It; adopted to be engaged by uny suitable lovers l'or moving the slccvo to operate the toggles and shift the friction ring on the guide bolts toward and from the friction face of the llywhcel.

A bearing 17 is secured in the llywliccl at its axis to form 21, support for the end of the driven shaft 3 and sand shnit, near this end,

formed with n llntten'cd or hexagonal portion upon which a driven friction disk 18 slides, tho detachable hub portion 19 bcin formed with a hcxsgonul opening to fit the shaft so that the disk is attached to turn with suid sboi't but is free to slide longitudinally thereon.

The driven 'riction disk l8 consists of two parts or halves 2i) and ill ouch formed with a control rectangular portion 22 having an axial opening and provided with four sockets .23, one near each corner of the rcctnngnlur portion, for coiled springs 24 which are sleeved u )Ol'l bolts 25 pessing through the bottom ()1 the sockets in their axes and provided with beads or nuts 26 on their outer ends. lilxtending leterelly from opposite sides of ouch rectangular center portion, are

segmental portions or {hinges 27 which are. of

such a. size and so formed as toiittogethcr and make a complete circulor friction rim portion, the rectangular center portion of the half 2] being otl'sct out of the lane of its segments sullicicntly to receive t in center rectangular portion ol the bob 20 so that when the adjaout of the plane of those of the other half,

but not so far separated as to disengage the halves from each other.

The casing 6 being secured to the flywheel,

- where the driving or engine shaft is rotated,

the flywheel, casingand friction disk 7 together with its toggle levers, rotate with said shaft, but the driven friction disk 18 being free to turn between the friction surface of the flywheel and the friction ring, no motion will be transmitted to the driven shaft. When the sleeve 12 is moved inward, the links 13 straighten out the toggles and thus force the friction ring laterally to clamp the segments of the driven disk between it and the friction surface of the flywheel. The toggles act directly between the rotatively fixed end of the casing and the ring, andtlms the ring is moved laterally with a great deal of force, effectually clamping the driven disk and preventing any slippage after the ring has been moved to its full limit. The two halves of the disk 18 being normally held apart by the springs .24, when thering is moved to clamp said disk it will at first contactthe surface of the segments of one half only and the opposite surface of the seg ments of the other half or member of the disk will be forced into contact with the friction surface of the flywheel. The power of the springs is thus applied upon the partial movement of the ring, to hold the segments in frictional contact with the ring and surface f, and this force .vhich increases as the springs are compressed, is sullicicnt to transmit motion but will also permit slippage, thus preventing shocks and undue strains. \Vhcn the ring has been moved sullicicnllv to compress the springs to such a dcgicc that i the ad a ent sides of the two parts of the disk are in contact and their segments are in the same plane, the segments of both members will be contacted at both sides and rigidly ('lullifitlll between the llvvvhecl and the ring.

What I claim as my invention isz-- 1. in a clutch, the combination of a friction disk or member having a smooth con tau-i surfaces wcond friction member formed from a disk consisting of segments \'icldingl v held with their friction surface in dillercnt planes but registering with each other, and

sisting of a separable disk having two or more parts, one or more of which parts is yicldingly held nearer the friction surface of said first named friction member than the other or others when said friction members are in inoperative position, and means for bringing said parts into the same plane and said friction members into contact with each other.

I). In a clutch, the combination of a friction disk or member having :1 smooth ,contact surface, a second friction member con sisting of a separable disk having a multiplicity of parts each having a friction. surface adapted to engage the friction surface of the other friction member and each partyieldingly held with its friction surface nor mally out of the plane of the friction sur face of the other part, and menus for moving said iarts into the same planc and one of said friction members into contact with the other.

4. lo a clutch, thecombination of a friction member having a contact surface, a triotion disk having a sectional rim. the sections of which havefriction surface and each section is normally held with its friction surfaces out of the plane of the friction surface of the adjacent section and adapted to be moved to bring the friction. surfaces into the same plane, and means for bringing said disk and friction member into frictional contaetand so moving the sections.

5. in a clutch, the combination of a friction member having a contact surface, a friction disk consisting of separate segments forming a continuous rim portion having a contact surface, means for yicldingly holding the segments out of alincment with each other, laterally of the disk, and means for bringing said friction member and disk into contact.

(l. in a clutch, the combination of a clutch member having a contact surface atone side, a second clutch member attached to said member to turn therewith and adapted to be moved toward and from said surface of the lirst member, means for so moving said movable member, an intermediate clutch member interposed between said members and consisting of independent sections, and means for yieldingly holding said sections out of alincm nt with each other, whereby when the movable members are moved to clamp the intermediate member betwe n it and the first named member, said sections will be first cngnged at one side only.

7. lo a clutch, the combination of circular clutch members having opposed contact surfaces and rcvolublc together, means for moving one of said members toward and from the other, a disk member with its rim por-- posed clutch members, bolts for 8. in a. clutch, the combination with a driving shalt and a tlriven sl'iait, of a clutch member secured upon the end of one shaft,

a casing secured to said member and having an axial opening in its end through which *side of said member and having an axial opening in its closed end, a shaft projecting the other shaft projects, a movable clutch niei'nber guided by and revolul'ile with the .iasing. a, disk member slidable on the end of j the shaft projecting intothe casing and adapted to be clamped between the first named clutch member and the movable clutch member, toggle levers within the. rash g i the end of the casing, and means for operating said toggle levers.

9. In a clutch, the conibination with a clutch member having a coi'iiact surface, oi. a friction disk to engage said surl'ace consisting of members having overlying center portions and interlocking rim portions ior1ning a continuous friction surface, means between said disk members to yieldingly separate the same, and means for bringing the clutch member and disk into frictional contact.

10. In a clutch, the combination with a clutch member having a contact surface, of a friction disk to engage said surface consisting of members having overlying center portions and segmental rim portions which {it together to form a continuous friction sun face, springs between said meml'iers to normall hold the same with the segments of one member out. of alinenicnt with the segmerits of the other member, and means for bringing the clutch nit-tuber and disk into frictional contact.

1.1. in. a clut. i, the combination W1i l'3. ()pposed clutch men'ibersand means for nioving or e of said members toward the other, of

a disk adapted to be clamped between said members at its outer edge and. consisting of two members each having a rectangular center portion adaoted to overlie that of the other member and each provided with seg mental rim portions adapted to tit between the segments of the other member to form a coi'itinuous fiction surf-ace adapted to be engaged by the opposed clutch members, is between the disk members, and means disk members.

12. in. a clutch, the combination with op posed clutch. nicmbprs and means for moving one of said members toward the other, of a disk consisting of two members each having a rectangular center portion provided with sockets and each havingsegi'ncntal rim portions fitting between the segments of the other member to form a continuous friction rim surface to be clamped. between the on securing the attached to the movable member and for limiting the separation of the;

disk members together and permitting a limited movement thereof toward and from each other and coiled springs engaging the sockets in the'disk members to normally hold said members separated the distance limited 70 by the bolts.

33. in a clutch, the combinationwith a clutch member, of a casing secured to one through said opening-into the casing, a laterally nu able clutch ring in the casing, a disk slidable on the shaft andrevoluble therewith with its periphery projecting between the clutch member and ring, toggle S0 levers pivotally attached at one end to the ring, means secured in openings in the casing to which the opposite ends of the toggles are pivotally attached and which means are adapted to he an the toggles, a sleeve movable longitudinall on the shaft, and links pivotally attachedl to the sleeve and toggles.

' 14. In a clutch, the combination with a clutch member, of a casing secured to said membe and having openings in its closed end, a laterally movable clutch member in the casing, a shaft projecting into the casing, a disk member on the shart adapted to, be

clamped between the clutch members, toggle 9'5 levers pivotally attached at one end to the laterally movable clutch member, bushings .in the openings in the end of the casing having axial screw-threaded openings, screwtliroaded bolts engaging said openings in the bushings and having ears on their inner ends for the attachment of the toggle levers, lock nuts on the outer ends of the bolts, and means for operating the toggles to move the laterally movable members.

15. In a clutch, the combination with a clutch member having a Contact surface, of a disk adapted to engage said surface consisting of two members each having a rectangular center portion and segmental portions extending-from said rectangular portions, the segments on one member being offset later ally so that when the rectangular portions of V the members are in Contact, their segments will lie in the same plane and interlock,

springs between the members, and means'for forcing saiddlsk into contact with theclu'tch member.

16. In acluteh, the combination with a clutch member having a contact surface, of a disk adapted to engage said surface eons1st in g of two members each formed with a rec tangular center portion provided with sockets near. each corner and also each formed with segmental portions projecting from the center crtions and adapted to lie in the same p ane and interlock with those of the other member to form a continuous riin friction surface, coiled springs in the sockets to normally hold the members separated 1aterljusted to vary the throw of 85 ally, bolts extending through holes in the bottoms of the socket and provided with beadsand nuts to hold the members and limit their lateral separation by the springs,

and means for forcing the disk against the f contactsurface of the clutch members.

17. In a oluteh, the combination. with a driving shaft and a driven shaft supported in axial ahnement, of a clutch member havnn a contact surface at one end secured upon the end of the driving shaft, a casing secured to said member and inolosing said surface and provided with an axial opening for the driven shaft, a ring clutch member in the casing having openings, bolts extending through said openings forming guides for the lateral movement of the ring and securing the casing to the clutch member, ears on the ring, to gle levers pivoted to said ears at one enll,

20 bushings screwed into openings in the easing and having axial screw-threaded openings, bolts engagin r said axial openings and having ears to w iieh the toggles are ivotally attached, a sleei e movable longitm inally on the driven shaft, and projecting into the easl ing, links attaehed at one end to the sheets E and at their opposite ends to the toggles, a l

disk movable longitudinally of the driven shaft and rotatable therewith with its periph- 5 ery between the ring and friction surface of i the clutch member; said disk consisting of interlocking segmental members and springs l to yieldingly hold said se mental disk members out of alinement Wil'ill each other.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature l in presence of two Witnesses. l EDMUND SPRUNG.

Witnesses: i OTTO F. BARTHEL, ANNA M. Dorm. 

